Purl's Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Blog: Archive for the ‘Air Conditioning’ Category

Why You AC Won’t Keep Up With the Heat

Monday, May 15th, 2023
thermometer-going-red

It can be awful to have an air conditioner working away during the day, running almost constantly, and still have a house that’s too stuffy and hot. If you’re currently having this trouble, you may need the assistance of a licensed HVAC contractor. Our repair professionals will see that your cooling system receives the assistance necessary to work its best with our skilled air conditioning repairs in Fresno, CA.

Below are some possibilities for why your AC may not be keeping up with the summer heat.

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When an AC Runs for Too Long

Monday, May 1st, 2023
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We’ve written before about the problem of a short-cycling air conditioner, which is when an AC stops its cooling cycle (which usually lasts 15–20 minutes) earlier than normal, then continues to turn on and off rapidly. This is a serious problem that often requires calling for repairs.

There is the opposite version of this problem—an air conditioner that runs for far too long. When an air conditioner spends more than 30 minutes on its cooling cycle, or won’t stop cooling at all, it’s a huge waste of energy and will make the house too cold.

There are several reasons you may start to see this “nonstop AC” problem in your home. You can count on our technicians to find out the exact problem and have it fixed.

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Why Spring Maintenance Is One of the Best Things You Can Do for Your AC

Monday, April 3rd, 2023
USA Logo

Now that the weather in the Central Valley has started to warm up, it really is starting to feel like spring. Although it’s still not hot enough that you’ll need to run your home’s air conditioning system quite yet, you can use this time to arrange for an all-important job: scheduling professional AC maintenance in Fresno, CA with our team of experienced professionals.

We talk about HVAC maintenance often during the year, with reminders in spring for ACs and in fall for heating systems. This isn’t just because we want to get your business. It’s also because we know how beneficial professional tune-ups and inspections are for heating and cooling systems. Maintenance is one of the best services you can have for your air conditioning system. Here are a few reasons why.

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The Benefits of Ductless Mini Split Systems

Monday, July 11th, 2022
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Ductless mini split systems are a type of comfort system for homes that work through a series of wall-mounted air handlers. Think of one of these systems as similar to a standard split system air conditioner, except the condenser doesn’t connect to a single indoor blower and evaporator hooked to ductwork. Instead, it connects to a series of separate mini-air handlers/evaporators placed throughout the rooms.

We offer installation of ductless heating and ductless air conditioning Fresno, CA. These systems aren’t ideal for all homes, but their benefits make them attractive options if you’re planning on making upgrades or changes to your HVAC system or if you live in an older home lacking ductwork. 

Here are a few of the best benefits of ductless mini splits…

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Why Does My AC Smell Strange?

Monday, April 18th, 2022
woman-with-sinus-troubles

An air conditioning system is not supposed to have any noticeable odor as it runs. The air from the vents should have the neutral smell of the rest of the house. If you start to detect any smell from the air vents you’ve never noticed before, such as a dirty laundry stink, rotten eggs, or an acrid burning, it’s something to pay attention to.

You may need to call our technicians for air conditioning system repair in Fresno, CA after you notice any of these odors. A few may have simple causes, but in many situations, these odors warn of a bigger problem with an AC. We’ll look into these strange air conditioning system smells and what they may mean.

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Time to Prep for the Heat With AC Maintenance

Monday, March 21st, 2022
air-conditioner-unit-being-repaired

We’re experiencing extremely hot days in the Central Valley—days with true summer heat, and spring has only just started. You may have had to turn on your AC for the first time in several months to battle the heat. But your air conditioning system is going to need extra help to handle the continuing heat we’ll face through the middle of the year: professional air conditioning maintenance.

We always stress with our customers the importance of having their air conditioning systems professionally inspected and tuned up annually, preferably in spring to beat out the hot weather. The weather is already turning hot, so the time to call us to schedule your regular air conditioning maintenance in Fresno, CA is now. 

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Getting a Bigger AC Is Probably Not a Good Idea

Monday, October 4th, 2021
air-conditioner-cabinets

We’re accustomed to thinking that getting an appliance that’s “more powerful” is always for the best. But this isn’t the case—and it’s certainly not the best when it comes to a central air conditioning system.

Maybe you’re unhappy with your current air conditioning in Fresno, CA. This recent summer was hot, and when you lowered the thermostat to your standard comfort level, you didn’t feel as cool as you expected. The air conditioner just didn’t seem like it could handle the heat. Getting a bigger AC might sound like a good solution; it seems sensible. But it rarely is. We’ll talk more about air conditioner size below and how to get the right cooling.

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How Has Your AC Held Up This Summer?

Monday, September 6th, 2021
air-conditioner-with-dirty-coils

Did you remember to have AC maintenance in Fresno, CA in the spring? If you did, then you gave your air conditioning system the best beginning to the summer. (If you didn’t … it’s not too late to schedule it!) But as wonderful as maintenance is, it can’t prevent all air conditioning problems or stop an AC from eventually wearing down.

As we move toward the fall, we recommend you think about your air conditioner’s performance over this last summer, especially if the system is more than 10 years old. If your air conditioning system is showing signs it needs repairs or it’s ready for retirement, have the service done as soon as possible. (Fall is a good time to replace older air conditioners because HVAC technicians have more open schedules.)

Let’s go through a few basic air conditioning considerations to see how well your cooling system held up.

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Late August Still Isn’t Too Late for an AC Tune-Up

Monday, August 23rd, 2021
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It’s hot outside in August, and it’ll be hot in September as well. Summer isn’t finished, and your home’s air conditioning system has hard work ahead of it.

And that’s one of the reasons it’s not too late to have your annual AC tune-up and inspection. We recommend our customers have this maintenance service done in spring because it gets the air conditioning system ready before the first of the big heat waves arrive, and it takes the most advantage of maintenance’s benefits. But, and this is the key point to remember, AC maintenance does not have an expiration date. It only needs to be done each year.

So, although we recommend having your future AC tune-ups done in spring if possible, it’s not too late to have the work done now. It’s far better than skipping it for a year.

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5 Reasons an AC May Start Short-Cycling

Monday, August 9th, 2021
air-conditioning-system-grill-top-down

An air conditioning system runs in cycles where the compressor turns on to provide cooling for the house, then shuts down until the thermostat registers it needs to turn back on. These cooling cycles should last at least fifteen minutes.

If you notice your AC shuts down after only a short time, then turns on again soon after, it’s short-cycling. This malfunction makes it hard for the air conditioner to fully cool a house. It also wastes energy (compressor start-up draws on large amounts of electricity) and wears down the AC components rapidly. Below we’ve listed five frequent causes of this problem.

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